Many of our SW Georgia neighbors could say that they’ve failed because they did not have the opportunity to succeed. They could also say that they did not have the opportunity to acquire the resources that lead to good employment through education, or that the mere struggle to stay alive kept them from opportunity. No matter what personal reasons people may feel are their causes of failure, empirical evidence indicates that six counties in Albany Tech’s Service Delivery Area are distressed or at risk for being distressed. Only one of the seven is prosperous. Further, there is a high correlation between the attainment of a high school education or GED and economic prosperity and affluence gained from higher education.
Do you know someone who dropped out of high school after the 9th grade? Do you know someone who completed at least one section but not all of the GED within the last ten years? Or do you know someone who is enrolled in adult education and is capable of high school level course work?
Georgians that meet one of these criteria may show the “ability to benefit” (ATB) from an Albany Technical College education. There are 39 programs available to them. A list of programs is included. They may qualify for PELL financial aid as ATB students:
- Successfully completing two gateway courses or
- Successfully completing an ATB test.
As a Georgia resident, they may enroll in the gateway courses using the HOPE Career Grant to cover tuition and fees.
Encourage those that you know can benefit, to accept our offer to enroll at Albany Technical College during our January or March 2020 terms. I’ve included a link to the application for program admission and the contact information for Jonita Coleman, Transition Coordinator. Please contact Ms. Coleman at 229-430-7881 or jcoleman@albanytech.edu. Ms. Coleman will be available to guide them through the process.
Please let our underprepared neighbors know that opportunity is knocking, and that the door is open at Albany Technical College. Thank you.